Incandescent lamp for liquid hydrocarbons



(No Model.)

P. J. FITZGERALD.

INGANDESGENT LAMP FOR LIQUID HYDROGARBONS. No. 600,774. Patented Mar. 15,1898

i| mum FFIQo PETER J. FITZGERALD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INCANDESCENT LAMP FOR LIQUID HYDROCARBONS.

v SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO; 600,774, dated March 15, 1898. Application filed Au t 10, 1897- Serial IIo. 647,687. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER J. FITZGERALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incandescent Lamps for Liquid Hydrocarbons; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is directed to improvements in lamps of the type employing mantles which are capable of being rendered incandescent by a liquid-hydrocarbon flame. The mantles so employed are made to be highly refractory, andas now constructed are very fragile, owing to the nature of the material employed, which necessitates the utmost care in handling and the provision of safeguards against fracture and displacement while in use. Despite every precaution, however, the mantles are very frequently rendered unfit for use, and especially is this true when the lamps are exposed to the outer air, as in street-lighting. With the mantle impaired it will be understood that the lamp is practically useless for illuminating purposes, nor will it again subserve its purpose until a new mantle has been supplied.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved lamp for liquid hydrocarbons which is adapted for producingincandescence by the employment of a mantle, but which in the event of the mantle becoming unfit for use is capable of emitting a flame suitable in character and power for the purpose of illumination.

The nature of my invention is clearly set forth in the following description, in connection with which attention is called to the accompanying drawings.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved lamp. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional View in line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. at is a detail View of a modified form of mantle-support.

Referring to the said drawings by letter,

which is controlled by a needle-valve 0 A denotes a vapor-burner of the plate type comprising the casing a, provided with a passage in which the liquid hydrocarbon is vaporized and which is connected by means of a pipe I) with a supply of the liquid, 21. valve 1) being employed to control said supply; a curved plate a, which constitutes a spreader for the flame; a hood a for confining the flame at the base of the plate; a hood-plate a which cooperates with the plate a to form the flame-slot, and a needle-valve a for controlling the discharge of vapor. There is also provided adjacent to the plate ct an extension a in the nature of a curved lug which receives a portion of the flame through an opening a in the plate ct, and thereby contributes to the heat required for vaporization. This form of vapor-burner is preferred by me to other types; but it is within the scope of my invention to employ any other character of burner which will furnish an illuminating-flame of requisite power and which will provide sufficient heat to readily vaporize the liquid hydrocarbon.

The casing a is provided with a lateral apertured extension at, to which is secured a casing 0, having a passage 0, the outlet of In the casing and adjacent to the outlet are open ings c 0 by which air is admitted to and mixed with the vapor as it passes from the chamber. The upper end of the casing is screw-threaded for connection with a coupling d, which is cone-shaped at its upper end d and is provided with a central tapering aperture d forming a continuation of the passage for the mixed vapor and air. Below the cone-shaped portion this coupling is exteriorly threaded for connection with a pipe or tube section 6, which is provided adjacent to the end d of the coupling with openings 6 e for the further admission and admixture of air. The upper. end 6 of the pipe or tube section is enlarged, as shown, and its top is closed by a perforated plate f, preferably made of woven wire and of convex form in crosssection. This plate f is held in position by being interposed between the top of the enlarged end a and an inwardly projecting flange g on an outer sleeve g, which fits said end closely. The mantle his held in position by a support 2', which comprises a rod, the

upper end of which is provided with a hook z" for engaging the upper end of the mantle, and at its lower end is a ring i which is confined between the lower end of the sleeve 9 and a shoulder e on the upper end e In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of mantle-support which consists of a rod 't', secured centrally of the end 6 and provided at its upper end with a bifurcation or crotch The lower end of the rod is threaded and is passed through the center of the plate 9 and is held in position by the employment of binding-nuts 1 t Still another form of mantle support is shown in Fig. 4, the same consisting of three, four, or more wires 1' 2', the lower ends of which are secured to the end e in any suitable manner, and the upper ends thereof converge together to form a cage-like structure over which the mantle is placed.

My improved lamp, While capable of general use, is more especially designed for employment in street-lighting, the form shown and above described being in every way suitable for this character of work. While the mantle is in proper condition the incandescent burner may be employed for furnishing the illumination, and to obtain this service it is merely necessary to turn on the supply of liquid hydrocarbon, raise the temperature of the casing of the plate-burner by igniting alcohol or other suitable liquid in the cup provided for the purpose or by heating the same from a hand-torch to the degree requisite for the conversion of the liquid hydrocarbon into vapor, after which the valvec is opened and the incandescent burner is ignited. To effect the continuous vaporization of the liquid hydrocarbon a small flame is maintained in the plate-burner, as will be understood. In the event of the mantle becoming impaired or rendered unfit for use, as will frequently happen from rough usage and even currents of air, the incandescent burner cannot be employed for furnishing the illumination, in which event the valve 0 is closed and the valve a of the plate-burner is opened to a greater extent, the result being that the illumination is produced by the flame of the latter burner and that the effectiveness of the lamp as a whole is preserved. The advantages of such an arrangement are obvious to any one skilled in the art, and especially to those familiar with the lighting of streets by lamps which are constructed to consume liquid hydrocarbons.

The plate type of burner shown and described is preferred by me to other forms; but I do not confine myself to such type, as any character of burner which furnishes an illuminating-flame and provides the heat for the proper vaporization of the liquid hydrocarbon will answer my purpose, which is to combine in a lamp of the liquid-hydrocarbon-burningtype an incandescent burner and an auxiliary illu minating-burner which can be placed in service when the incandescent burner is rendered unfit for use.

I claim as my invention- 1. A burner for hydrocarbon liquids, comprising an incandescent illuminating-burner, and an auxiliary illuminating-burner, the burners adapted to be used alternately for illumination, said latter burner being adapted for supplying heat for vaporization of the liquid, substantially as described.

2. A burner for hydrocarbon liquids, comprising an illuminating-burner provided with a vaporizer-passage and with a flame-plate as described, and an incandesent burner connected with said passage, substantially as set forth.

3. A burner for hydrocarbon liquids comprising an illuminating-burner provided with a vaporizer-passage, a flame-plate and a valve for controlling the vapor, and an incandescent burner connected with said passage and provided with a valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, PETER J. FITZGERALD.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM 0. Claims, WM. F. FITZGERALD. 

